PTG, Inc. has developed a new standalone counting system suitable for many applications. From counting pieces produced, to tracking the number of pieces made per tool, to predicting when to perform maintenance based on production, counting products are available in a variety of form factors.

The Tool Counter system can be incorporated with other monitoring products, or installed on unmonitored machines. Custom counting products can be designed for any application and can be installed as a standalone device, or as a networked system that collects and records counts.

The Tool Counter is extremely easy to use. A sample screen is shown, this is the screen "Tool Counter 1." Each display page shows up to ten individual tool life counters. A total of four screens are available, providing up to 40 total counters.

To reset any of the counters, simply touch the designated area around the counter's name (i.e., "Count 1-1"). The counter associated with this tool will then be zeroed; it will resume counting once the machine starts production. The counters can also be set up to use an established tool count value. The counter will then start counting from this point, enabling tracking of accumulated tool life.

Standard and optional features for counting products include:

• Touch screen interface
• Multiple simultaneous counters
• Separate counters for tool life
• Separate counters for periodic maintenance tasks
• Resettable counters
• Programmable pre-set counters